1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for changing the lane, in which a vehicle is currently running. More particularly, the present invention relates to a technology for changing the lane on the basis of situations of objects in front of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, a vehicle has a camera sensor installed to recognize external objects.
Such a camera sensor can sense a wide field of view, and thereof is used as a sensor of another device.
Despite such an advantage of a wide field of view, a camera sensor, in connection with a lane change device, is only used as a sensor for sensing objects in blind spots and warning the driver.
However, there is a problem in that an attempt to change the lane by a driver, who is physically handicapped, or who has failed to recognize warnings due to peripheral situations, may lead to an accident.
On the other hand, recent use of power steering devices has made it possible to assist the driver's steering through steering motor control, or to automatically control the steering under the control of the vehicle control system's own control, regardless of the driver's intentions.
Driving assist systems (DAS) using such an automatic steering control technology includes a lane keeping assist system (LKAS) that controls a vehicle so as to keep the lane in which it is running, a lane change assist system (LCAS) that controls a vehicle to change the lane to an adjacent lane, etc.
However, there is a problem in that, unlike the lane keeping assist system, which recognizes a lane and controls the vehicle so as not to deviate from the lane through steering control, operation of the lane change control system requires complicated processes of monitoring the situation of an adjacent lane, to which the current lane is to be changed, setting a path for the lane change, and performing a vehicle velocity or steering angle control.
Furthermore, there is a danger of, for example, collision with another vehicle, which is running in an adjacent lane, during the process of lane change control. Therefore, a precise lane change control is required.